Switch-controlling mechanism



R. ZAUGG.

SWITCH CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 056.311.1921.

1,413,559. v Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

' Inbentbr is a specification.

movable switch, 3.

iwnonr mines, or BERNIE, SWITZERLAND, nssrenoa or own-HALF 120 GILBERT 7L. Y

', BOSSARD, 0E TROY, NEW YORK.

swrrcn-conrnormne Ivrncnnmsnr, l

T 0 all whom it may concern; I

Be it known that I, RU'DOLF'ZAUGG, a citizen of Switzerland, residentof Berne, Canton of Berne, Switzerland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch-Controlling Mechanism, of which the following Reference may 'be'had to the accompanying drawings and the reference characters marked thereon, which form apart of this specification. Similar characters refer .to similar parts in the several figures therein; 7

The principal object of the invention is to prevent the opening of a railway switch over which a train is passing.

Other objects will appear in connection with the following description.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a diagrammatic View of my improved switchrprojecting mechanism shown in connection with a main track adjacent to a point where-another track is connected therewith by a'switch; 3

Fig. 2 isa similar viewshowing a modified form ofswitch-locking=and-releasing.mechanism 7 Figs. 3 and 4 are views in side elevation, more or less diagrammatic, illustrating different forms of mechanism which maybe employed in place ofthe' dash-pots shownin Fi 1. b ileferring to Fig.1,a section ofmain track is shown atl, and 2 .is another section of track connected with the main track by a Adjacent to the main track, 1 at a point near the junction of the switch,- 3, therewith, I mount a circuit-closing member, 1, 'conwires, 5, 6, battery, 7., electromagnet, 8, and a ground-connection, j

I have shown no specifioform of circuitclosing member, 4, asthe same may" be of any known form adapted to close the circuit when engaged by suitable members carried by or forming part of a train, (as the wheels, 10, of a car or train, 11 and when'thus engaged serves to close the circuit through said electromagnet, 8.

An armature, '12, in the form of a lever pivoted at 13, adapted to be attracted by the electromagnet, when energized, from the position shown in solid lines to that indicated by dotted lines in Fig. I 1, said armature being automatically return- Specification of Letters men..

desired.

p released by said dog. trolling an electric circuit includlng the .mature, 2 &,

for said electromagnet is valve, 17, which automatically closes to resist V the return movement of the armature, 12.

Upon the piston-rod, 14:, is anoflset', 18,.

I Patented A1ai''18, 1922. Application filed December 31 192-1. Serial No. 526,383. i

which is adapted toengage themovable member, 19,'of an electric switch, 20, which meniber, 19, 1S spring-actuated or in the form'of a spring whereby said switch is automatically closed when I released from control by the piston-rod-ofiset, 18, which-offset tends to hold the switch open so long asthe armature, 12, is innorm'alqposition.

The electric switch, 20, controls an electric circuit including'wire's,'21 and and-a secon d .electromagnet, 23. V i #:As shown in Fig-.1 this circuit is'conipleted by at part ofthe wire, :6, and thelbattery, 7

forming part ofthe electric circuit which includesthe electromagnet, 8'.

How 've'r, the electric circuit including :the switch, '20,- and electromagnet, 23, may bea separate circuit with. a separate battery if The armature, 2a, for the electromagnet, 23, is in the formaof a' lever pivoted at 25, the swinging end' of'which lever formsan arrowheaded dogfthe two jaws formed by the barbs of the arrowhead being jtLltBlIlfl tiirely engageablewith two hooks, 26 and 27,

on alever, 28,1ulerumed at 29, and actuated i in onedirection .by a coil-spring, 30, when The hooks, '26 and 27, are be released from the arrowheaded dog, first the hook, 26, by amovement or the armature, 24, toward the magnet, .23, and then the hook, 27, the'return movement or" the arqnently deenergized.

EXtGIlClSLbGIlESiJh an'ofiset,31, on a switchcontrolhng member, 32,=preventing downward movement of said member, 32, until In its dog engaged position, the lever, 28, 7 r 1 solO ltBd aS to i V hen the magnet, 23, .is subse- 1 r the lever;]28, has beengwithdrawn from beneath the offset, 21, bythe action, of the spring, 30,; after both hooks, 26 and 27, have been released from the arrowhea'ded dog; I

The" member, 32, maybe any known form Y of locking ClGVlCG'fOI the switch, 3, whereby the switch, 3, cannot be opened until said member, 32, has been depressed or moved downward from the position shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows.

The signal towerman or switch operator upon being advised that a train is to be moved from the track, 2, over the switch, 3, to the main line, 1, closes the switch, 3, or ascertains that it is closed, and then locks the switch by raising the member, 32, and forcing the lever, 28, beneath the oiiset, 31, on said member, 32, thereby engaging the arrowheaded dog with the hook, 26 on said lever, 28.

Thereafter the switch, 3, cannot be opened without downward movement of the member, 32, which downward movement is not permitted until both hooks, 26 and'27, are released from control of the arrowheaded dog at the end of armature, 24.

As the train moves over the switch, 3, onto the main track, 1, the first wheel of the train engages the circuit-closing member, 4, closing the circuit through the 'electromagnet, 8, causing the same to be energized and thus to attract the armature, 12, and move the same from the position shown by solid lines to that indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

This movement is accompanied by an upward movement of the piston-rod, 1 4, which is freely permitted by the check-valve, 17, and which upward movement releases the spring member, 19, ot' the switch, 20, permitting said switch to automatically close, thus completing the circuit through the electromagnet, 23.. The electromagnet, 23, being thus energized attracts the armature, 24, causing the arrowheaded' dog on the end of said armature to be released from the hook, 26, and interlocked with the hook, 27, of the lever, 28, said lever remaining in position to prevent release of the switch locking member, 32.

The electromagnet, 23, remains thus energized so long as the switch, 20, remains closed, and the switch, 20, remains closed until forcibly opened by the projection, 18, upon the return of the armature, 12, to normal position.

As above explained the return movement of the armature, 12, is delayed or retarded by the automatically closed check-valve, 17, of the dash-pot, 16, so that the return movement of the armature, 12, consumes an interval of time which may be predetermined by limiting the leakage through said checkvalve and around said piston, 15.

If the circuit-closing member, 4, is actuated by a single element only 01 a train or car the switch, 20, will be opened upon the expiration of the predetermined interval of time for which the dash-pot, 16, is adapted, and upon the opening of the switch, 20, the electromagnet, 23, being de-energized, the

armature, 24, is released and falls by gravity out of interlocking engagement wlth the hook, 27, thereby releasing the lever, 28, to

the action of the spring, 30, which withdraws the lever from beneath the offset, 31, thereby releasing the switch-locking mem-- ber, 32.

The mechanism may thus be adapted to prevent release of the switch-locking member, 32, for any desired interval of time after the circuit-closing member, 4, has been actuated.

YVhile I am thus able by a single operation of the circuit-closing member, 4, by a car or train passing from the switch-track onto the main track, to delay the release of the switch-locking member for a sufiiciently long interval to protect said car .or train, it will be apparent that if the mechanism were adjusted to so protect a train of maximum length it would delay the release of the switch for a long period attera single car, engine or short train had fully left the switch and passed onto the main track.

I therefore prefer to employ a plurality or series of members on the train to successively engage the circuit-closing member, 4, and I preferably employ the wheels of the cars for this purpose.

In thus employing the wheels or similar successive members for actuating the cir cuit-closing member, 4, the dashpot, 16, can be adjusted to delay the opening of the electric-switch, 20, with respect to the interval ot'time between successive engagements of the wheels with the circuit-closing member, 4, when the train is traveling at normal speed, by which I mean any approved speed at which the train is moved from the switchtrack on to the main track.

When the dash-pot, 16, is thus adjusted, after the circuit-closingmember, 4, has been actuated by the first wheel of the train, and the armature, 12, has been attracted by the energized electromagnet, 8, to close the electric switch, 20, and said first wheel has left the circuit-closing member, 4, before the armature, 12, in its delayed return movement, can open the electric switch, 20, the next wheel of the train will actuate the circuitclosing member, 4, again energizing the electromagnet, 8, and again withdrawing the armature, 12, fully from normal position; and i this operation will be repeated as each successive wheel engages the circuit fclosing member, 4, and after the last wheel 'otthe train has left the circuit-closing member, 4, the return of the armature, 12, to normal position will be retarded or, delayed for whatever period of time the dash-pot, 16, is adjusted.

If for any reason the train should stop with one of the wheels in engagement with and actuating the circuit-closing member, 4, the electromagnet, 8, will remain enerthe armature, 12, in the attracted position and thereby maintaining the switch-controlling member, 32,1n locked position.

Should a train stop while partly on the .main track and partly on the switch track with none of its wheels in engagement with the circuit-closing member, 4, the armature, 12, would afterthe predetermined interval of time for which the dash-pot, 16, is ad' justed, return to normal position to open 7 the electric switch, 20, unless means were provided for preventing such delayed return movement.

For this reason I employ a do 33, in the form of a lever fulcrumed' at 34, yieldingly held by a coil-spring, 35, against a stop, 36, and movably away from said stop to a position in the path of the armature,

The neighborin' ends of the armature lever, 12, and the 0g, 33, have interlocking members adapted to be engaged by the return movement of the armature, 12, when the dog, 33, is held in the return path of the armature; and after being thus inter locked the dog, 33, will support the arma ture against further return movement and .cannot be disengaged therefrom until the.

armature is again raised as by energization of the electromagnet, h 1

The dog, 33, 18111} certaln' times moved nto the path of the amature', 12, by. engagement with the dog of a lever, 37, fulcrumed ates, which leveris con'nectedby a coilspring, 39, with one arm-of:anangle-lever, 40, fulcr'umed at 38,'the other arm'of which angle-lever overhangsthe end of the armature lever, '12, in position to be engaged and moved thereby.

Return movement of -the; angle-lever, 40,

. dog, 33, is retarded fora predetermined incessive wheels engage the circuit-closing member, 4, the angle lever, 40, 1s succes sively actuated by engagement of the at} tracted armature, 12, therewith, these movements of the lever, 40, tending through the spring, 39, to move the lever,37 against the dog, 33,but this movement is retardedby the dash pot, 43, so that thedog, 33, is not actuated in the brief interval during which the electromagnet,'- 8, is energized by any. single engagement of a wheel with the cir cuit-closi'ng member, 4, when the train is travelling at ordinary speed. a

-Thus, at ordinary speed eachimpulse to actuatethe dog, 33, ceases beforeit becomes effective to actuate the dog, and the dog're mains inefi'ective. I

Ini stopping the train however it is neces sary to graduallyreduce the speed ofthe train, and asits speed is reduced the period of time during which'e'ach successive wheel remains in "engagementwith the circuit-closing member, 4, is correspondingly lengthened and thereby the successive periods during which the armature, 12, is held attracted by the'electromagnet, 8, are lengthened until as thetrain is about to stop, the period during which the electromagnetj, 8, remains energized byengagement of a wheel-with said circuit-closing member, 4, becomes so great that the dash-pot, 43, cannot longer retard the action of the lever, v37, upon the dog, 33, Whereupon'said dog is forced into the return path of lthe'armature, 12, andso remainsuntil the -electromagnet, 8, is de energized. V 1' l/Vhen the electromagnet, 8, is next de energized the lost mot-ion afi'orded by the stretching of the spring, 39, permits the end of the armaturei lever, 12, t'o'int'erl'ock with "neighboring end f t ase the ev r, 37-, isreleased from the tensionof .the'spring, 39 p I j 7 After the armature,- 12, dog, 33,"have ."thus been interlocked they-remain soQinter locked-untilthe electromagnet, 8,1 is

energized whereupon the armature, 12, 1s .by

attractlonof the electromagnet, 8, moved out of engagement with the'dog, 33-,'which is im-" mediately' withdrawn against thestop, 36,by V 5 i the coil-sp ring,'35. Should the train thus stop with none of its. wheels in contact with the circuitsclosing]T member, 4, the return movement of thear mature, 12, will be thus preventedby the dog, 33, maintaining the j switch-controlling member, 32, in locl'red position. I have used the term dog broadly as 1 15 meaning any releasable holding device or detent which; functions-in substantially the 'mannerin' which the'dogs above referredto function in the operation of my invention.

. @The'dash-pots above described form very '1 simple retarding devices;- but any other form-of retard1ng*mechanism 'may' beem-f ployedln place of; the dash-pots, as, for'exk ample, an'escapementmechanism, or a gov- V V ernormechanisma I q In Fig. 3 I haveshown a simple form of j escapem'ent mechanism adapted for this purpose; while in Fig. 4 I have shown a simple form of. governor mechanism forthe same purpose. "In the construction shown in Fig. a.

a, a rotary vane, 45, determines the period of delay in the return movement of the armature, 12.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a dog, 4:6 in place of the dog, 28. The dog, 46, is pivoted intermediately of its ends, at 4:7, and has hook ends, 48, alternatively engageable with projections, 49, on the switch-controlling mem ber, 50. V

The switch-controlling member, 50, is antomatically raised by the spring, 51.

The dog, 46, is actuated by the electromagnet, 23, and is automatically returned to releasing position by a spring, 52.

The switch-controlling member, 50, is shown in looking engagement with a switchoperating member, 53.

"While I have shown and described my invention in its application to a railway switch, I wish it understood that it is also applicable to any movable member which it is desired to control by the passage of a train or car.

For example, the invention could be employed for the locking or interlocking of signal levers or the like, such a signal lever being diagrammatically shown at 54.

I have shown the circuit including the battery, 7, controlled by a simple switch, 60, shown in Fig. 1, whereby the mechanism above described may be rendered operative by closing the switch, or inoperative byopening the switch as shown. This switch is under the control of the operator and may be or" any known form.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a mechanism of the class described and in combination, a controlling member; a dog for securing said controlling member in locked position; train-controlled means for movin said dog into locking position, said dog'being automatically returnable to releasing position; and means for preventing the return of the dog to releasing position during a predetermined period o'l time.

2. In a mechanism of the class described and in combination, a controlling member; train-controlled circuit-closing mechanism; an electromagnet energized by the actuation of said circuit-closing mechanism; a dog for securingsaid controlling member in locked position, said dog being actuated by said electromagnet when energized and being automatically returnable to releasing position; and means for maintaining the circuit including said electromagnet closed for a predetermined period independently of said train-controlled circuit-closing mecha nism.

3. In a switch-protecting mechanism and in combination, switch-connected tracks; a switch-controlling member; a dog for securing said switch-controlling member in magnet energized by the actuation of said circuit-closing mechanism; a dog for securing said switch-controlling member in locked position, said dog being controlled by said electromagnet when energized and being automatically returnable to releasing position; and means for maintaining the circuit including said electromagnet closed for a predetermined period independently of said train-actuated circuitclosing mechanism.

5. In a switch-protecting mechanism and. in combination, switch-connected tracks; a

switch-controlling member; train-actuated circuit-closing mechanism in the path of a train passing over said switch; an electromagnet included in anelectric circuit with said circuit-closing mechanism; an armature for said electromagnet; an automatically closing electric switch; means whereby said armature tends to open said electric switch when said electromagnet is deener gized; a second electromagnet included in an electriccircuit controlled by said electric switch; an armature for said second electromagnet having a dog for securing said switch-controlling member in locked position, said dog being controlled by the armature of said second electromagnet when the latter is energized and being automatically returnable to releasing position.

6. In a switch-protecting mechanism and in combination, switchronnected tracks; a switch-controlling member; train-actuated circuit-closing mechanism in the path of a train passing over said switch; an electromagnet included in an electric circuit with said circuit-closing mechanism; an armature for said electromagnet; an automatically closing electric switch; connections whereby said armature tends to open said electric switch when said electromagnet is deenergized; a dash-pot for retarding the return movement of said armature to normal position; asecond electromagnet in cluded in an electric circuit controlled by said electric switch; an armature for said second electromagnethavin a dog for securing said switch-controlling member in locked position, said dog being controlled by the armature of said second electromagnot when the latter is energized, and being automatically returnable :to releasing'position. 7; In a swltch-protecting mechanism and in combination, switch-connected tracks; a switch-locking member automatically returnable to releasing position; a dog having two jaws, one automatically engageable with said member when the latter is moved to locking position, and the other engageable with said member, in alteration with said first jaw, when the dog is moved to disen-' gage said first aw; tram-actuated means in the path of a tram passing over Silld' switch for moving said dog to disengage said first jaw and engage said second jaw, said dog being automatically returnable to releasing position; and means for preventing the return of the dog to releasing 1308i? tion during a predetermined interval of time. i

8. In a switch-protecting mechanism and in combination, switch-connected tracks; a switch-controlling member; train-actuated circuit-closing mechanism in the path of a train passing over said switch; an electromagnet included in an electric circuit with said circuit-closing mechanism; an armature for said electromagnet; an automatically closing electric switch; connections whereby said armature tends to open said switch said lever; retarding mechanism whereby.

the movement of said dog into the path of said armature is delayed for a predetermined interval of time a second electromagnet included in an electric circuit controlled by said electric switch; an armature for said second electromagnet having a dog for securing said swltch-controlhng member in locked position, said dog being controlled by the armature of said second electromagnet when the latter is energized, and being automatically returnable to releasing posi-' tion.

9. In a switch-protecting mechanism and in combination, switch-connected tracks; a switch-controlling member; train-actuated circuit-closing mechanism in the path of a train passing over said switch; an electro- V magnet included in an electric circuit with said circuit-closing mechanism; an armature for said electromagnet; an automatically closing electric switch; connections whereby sald armature tends to open said electric switch when said electromagnet is deener gized; retarding mechanism whereby return movement of said armatureto normal position is delayed for a predeterminedinterval of time after said electromagnet is deener-,

gized; a lever yieldingly mounted in position to'be engaged by saidarmature when attracted by said electromagnet a doginov able into the returnpath of said armature,

and automatically removable from said path, said armature and dog having'interengaging members; a dog-actuating member connected by a spring with said armatureengaged lever; and'a dash-pot for retarding the dog-actuating movement of said .dogactuating lever.

10. In a switch-protecting mechanism and in combination, switch-connected tracks; a

switch-controlling member; "a dog for secur- 7 ing said switch-controlling member in locked position; train-actuated means in thepath of a train passing over said switchfor moving said dog into locking position, said dog being automatically returnable to releasing position; means for preventing the dog from returning to releasing position during a pre- 7 a determined interval of time; and a train movable along said tracks having a plurality of members successively engageable with said train-actuated means at intervals of time, when the train is travelling at normal speed, shorter than said predetermined in terval of time during which the dog is prevented from returning to releasing position.

11. In a switch-protecting mechanism and in combination, switch-connected tracks; a switch-controlling member; train-actuated circuit-closing mechanism in the path of a train passing over said switch; an electromagnet energized by the actuation of said circuit-closin mechanism; a dog for securing said switc i-controlling member in locked position, said dog being controlled by said electromagnet when energized and being automatically returnable to releasing position; means for maintaining the circuit including said electromagnet closed for a pre-i' determined period independently of said:v

train-actuated circuit-closing mechanism;

and a train movable along said tracks and having a plurality of members successively engageable with said train-actuated circuitclosing mechanism at intervals of time,

when the train is travelling at normal speed, 7

shorter than said predetermined period during which the circuit including said electromagnet is maintained closed independently of said train-actuated circuit-closing mechanism. i 7 V r In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 14' day of September, 1920. V

RUDOLF ZAUGG. 

